Year of community

By Casey Neill
COMMUNITY spirit shone brightly in the hills throughout 2011, with locals uniting time and time again to protect and improve their townships and support those in need.
The Mail’s year kicked off with a 14-week road safety campaign aimed at curbing road trauma in the hills. Parents, police, CFA volunteers, paramedics and drivers spoke about the devastating impact road injuries and deaths can have on a whole community.
We also tackled domestic violence in a six-week campaign to shed light on the often neglected issue.
The Mail was on the scene throughout the community fight to save Cockatoo’s McBride Street Kinder, capturing protests, tears and arrests.
The kinder sheltered more than 300 people when the Ash Wednesday Bushfires tore through the town, and Cardinia Shire Council reversed its decision to demolish it following pressure from passionate locals, instead vowing to turn it into a memorial.
Cardinia council also came under fire from Emerald, Cockatoo and Gembrook locals for directing more funding to the growth corridor, to the detriment of its hills townships.
Another community fight took place in Tecoma, where residents united against a proposed McDonald’s restaurant.
More than 1100 objections saw Yarra Ranges councillors unanimously reject Maccas’ bid to enter the hills, but the burger giant could lodge an appeal to fight the decision, and the Mail will follow the fight in 2012.
Tragedy brought out the best in the community when Wandin 22-year-old Vinny Bonanno died on 6 March during a break in a Silvan Football Club practice match.
A portable defibrillator could have saved his life, and the devices have since landed in sporting and community facilities throughout the hills thanks to Rotary and other groups.
Upwey-Tecoma Cricket Club stalwart Anthony Dunning’s death sent shockwaves through the community. It followed an altercation with bouncers at Crown Casino.
Café Marte burnt to the ground in August, but the Mail will speak to owners Terry and Maryanne Mailo in the new year, when the eatery is due to re-open.
Belgrave-Hallam Road had residents and police calling for action to prevent frequent accidents on a dangerous bend. The Mail will continue to follow the issue, with VicRoads vowing to further investigate solutions in April.
We will also revisit Menzies Road residents’ calls for Yarra Ranges Council to keep a 30-year-old promise to seal their road.
Locals fired up over bushfire reforms stemming from the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission recommendations, which will see them without a fire refuge for at least another summer.
Former Mount Evelyn CFA volunteer Damian Lisle was jailed for a maximum 46 months over nine blazes lit in the town on 17 February 2010 and another Mount Evelyn local, Marc Hamilton, was jailed for 23 years for murdering his Montrose friend, Tim Fleming.
Construction finally began on Mount Evelyn’s long-awaited York Road-Wray Crescent intersection, causing traffic chaos and costing several stores business.
The town’s skate park opened in 2011, and cranes lowered a bridge over Maroondah Highway into place to safely link Mount Evelyn to the start of the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail.
Yarra Ranges spinning teacher Marion Wheatland travelled to Antarctica to spin yarn on the ice, which she used to create a replica of Sir Douglas Mawson’s balaclava, to pay tribute to the legendary explorer and raise more than $3100 to help preserve his huts.
On the sports front, Upwey Tecoma walked away with three premierships from its five Yarra Valley Mountain District Football Netball League grand final appearances – Seniors and Under 18s in the footy and C Grade netball.
But a drunken brawl on the day sparked an investigation into alcohol consumption at next year’s matches.
Finally, 13 December marked a year since inspirational seven-year-old Mikayla Francis lost her cancer battle, but her courage and positive outlook continued to touch hearts in 2011.
Community fund-raising, and tributes from her Menzies Creek Primary School classmates culminated in a birthday celebration at SkyHigh Mt Dandenong on 27 November – her eighth birthday. Friends and family released balloons with messages to the youngster. She will never be forgotten.